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Prepare lesson on The Lonely Man in the Woods (by Đoàn Giỏi), Grade 7 Vietnamese Literature - Kite Publisher
The work The Lonely Man in the Woods book Kite Publisher grade 7
Section I. Preparation
1.1. The Author: Doan Gioi
- Doan Gioi (1925 - 1989) hails from Tiền Giang province.
- A member of the Vietnamese Writers' Association since 1957, he adopted various pen names such as: Nguyen Hoai, Nguyen Phu Le, Huyen Tu.
- Works by Doan Gioi often delve into the landscapes and people of Southern Vietnam.
- Notable works include: 'The Small Fish' (1956), 'The Southern Forest Land' (1957), 'The Hunt for Weapons Cache' (1962),...
1.2. The Work 'The Southern Forest Land'
- The novel 'The Southern Forest Land,' written in 1957, narrates the adventurous life of a boy named An.
- The setting of the novel is the Southern Mekong Delta of Vietnam in the years following 1945, after the return of French colonialists to invade the South.
II. Comprehension
2.1. While Reading
1. How does the sound and image of the silver langur monkey in part (1) evoke what kind of setting?
The sound and image of the silver langur monkey in part (1) create a sense of wilderness, emptiness amidst vast mountains and forests, and loneliness.
2. What impressions do the details about the house, dressing style, and hospitality evoke about Uncle Vo Tong?
- Uncle Vo Tong's abode:
+ The seating consists of tree stumps 'Uncle Vo Tong and I sit on two tree stumps.'
+ In the middle of the tent stands a clay stove, on which rests a covered pot 'In front of the two, in the middle of the tent, there is a clay stove with a crackling fire, on which a covered pot sits tightly closed.'
- Hospitality:
+ Prepared food and entertained guests wholeheartedly with what they had: 'The empty bottle of wine and a plate of dried meat still lay on the ground under the feet of the host and guest, next to two crossed bows', 'Uncle Vo Tong picked out the largest piece of dried meat from the fire and placed it in my hand.'
+ Friendly and intimate conversation: 'Sit down here, my nephew!', 'Here, have a piece of dried venison now, my nephew. To freshen up your mouth!'
- Dressing style: 'He was shirtless, wearing a pair of khaki pants that still looked new but seemed to have not been washed for a long time (the French military pants with six pockets). On his waist, he carried a machete neatly tucked into an iron sheath, just as my foster mother described. And he even had that wide green belt too!'
=> From the details about his house, dressing style, and hospitality, we perceive Uncle Vo Tong leads a simple, humble life amidst the wild, majestic mountains and forests. He is an honest, straightforward man, seasoned with experience yet profoundly lonely.
Preparing the essay 'The Lone Man in the Woods (by Doan Gioi)'
3. Identify signs of the narrative shift.
The shift from the first-person narrative to the third-person narrative. In section (3), the narrator no longer refers to themselves as 'I' and addresses the character as 'he,' not as 'Uncle' as in sections (1), (2), (4), (5).
4. What does the story of Vo Tong killing the tiger reveal about the character's personality and life?
The story of Vo Tong killing the tiger demonstrates the bravery, courage of the character, unveiling a life of hardship, loneliness for Vo Tong.
5. Connect the act of resisting the landlord's tyranny with Vo Tong's tiger-slaying.
6. Pay attention to Uncle Vo Tong's drinking habits and words with the protagonist's foster aunt.
- Drinking method: He pours wine into a bowl, takes a sip, then passes the bowl to the foster aunt. 'Uncle Vo Tong poured wine into a bowl, took a gulp, passed the bowl to my foster aunt, and said'.
- Uncle Vo Tong's words to the protagonist's foster aunt: Uncle Vo Tong compares using a knife and bow with using a gun. He thinks only cowardly people would use guns because they can shoot from afar, he's bad at shooting, and it makes a lot of noise when he moves. Using a knife and bow, one can do it silently.
=> Uncle Vo Tong is affectionate, friendly, values relationships, brave, and courageous.
7. What does Mr. Hai's solemn expression of gratitude and Uncle Vo Tong's response reveal?
- Mr. Hai's solemn expression of gratitude 'Thank you very much, Uncle! Thank you!' demonstrates solemnity and sincere gratitude.
- 'It's nothing, brother Hai. It's all about solidarity!' reflects intimacy, affection, and value for relationships.
2.2. After Reading
1. What does the document 'The Lone Man in the Woods' recount? Which characters are mentioned in the excerpt? Who is the main character? What thoughts does the document's title evoke?
- The document 'The Lone Man in the Woods' recounts the story of An's foster aunt taking him to visit Uncle Vo Tong in the deep woods. Here, An experiences the intimacy, warmth, courage, value for relationships, and solitary life of Uncle Vo Tong.
- The excerpt features the characters: Uncle Vo Tong, An, and the foster aunt.
- The main character is Uncle Vo Tong - a brave, courageous, intimate, and straightforward individual. Uncle Vo Tong lives alone in the woods in a simple house with basic belongings. His harsh life is depicted through the accounts of the surrounding villagers.
- The title 'The Solitary Man in the Woods' evokes for me:
+ The main imagery depicted in the excerpt is that of a solitary man.
+ 'Solitary' suggests isolation in social relationships and a lack of interaction with others, even family, friends, or loved ones.
+ 'Woods' conjures up vast, pristine, and expansive spaces, contrasting with the human living environment.
=> The title evokes a sense of a man in solitary and unfortunate circumstances.
2. What aspects of Võ Tòng's character does the writer portray? Draw or describe in words your imagination of the character Võ Tòng.
- The character traits of Võ Tòng are depicted through:
+ Attire: 'He was shirtless, wearing a pair of khaki pants that still looked new but seemed to have not been washed for a long time (the French military pants with six pockets). On his waist, he carried a machete neatly tucked into an iron sheath, just as my foster mother described. And he even had that wide green belt too!'
+ Appearance: There were green tattooed spells 'There were green tattooed spells glowing on his body', giving him a 'strange, grotesque appearance', with 'a terrible scar running from his temple down his neck.'
+ Living space: The seating consisted of tree stumps, with a clay stove placed in the middle of the tent.
+ Hospitality: Familiar and intimate with An 'Sit down here, my nephew!', 'Here, have a piece of dried venison now, my nephew. To freshen up your mouth!', showing respect and intimacy with An's foster aunt while maintaining a formal tone calling her 'Elder Brother.'
+ Actions: Determined, not hesitant in confronting the arrogant landlord and brave, agile in fighting the tiger. Always helpful to others.
=> The character Vo Tong possesses traits of gentleness, honesty, simplicity, readiness to help others, bravery, and courage.
- Description of the character Vo Tong: In my imagination, Vo Tong has a distinctive appearance, with a long scar running from his temple down his neck, and green tattooed spells on his body. He lives alone, isolated in the vast wilderness of the mountains. Vo Tong is brave, courageous, and friendly.
3. Explain the effect of combining first-person narration (using 'I') with third-person narration in depicting the character Vo Tong.
- First-person narration: The excerpt employs first-person narration to reveal the character's attitude, emotions, and thoughts more directly about the story.
- Third-person narration: Allows the storyteller to narrate the story flexibly and freely, enabling readers to have a more objective view of the character and the story being mentioned.
=> Combining first-person narration ('I') with third-person narration paints a multifaceted and comprehensive portrait of the character Vo Tong. Through different perspectives, Vo Tong is perceived more objectively and truthfully in terms of life and personality.
4. Identify some elements (language, scenery, human character, way of life, etc.) in the text to illustrate the strong Southern color in Doan Gioi's story.
Some factors showing the Southern color in Doan Gioi's story:
- Language: colloquial terms like 'tía' (aunt), 'má' (mom), 'anh Hai' (elder brother), 'nhà việc' (housework), 'khám' (look), 'qua' (pass by), etc.
- Scenery: Southern rivers and mountains.
- Human character: Gentle, honest, simple, friendly, brave, courageous.
- Way of life: The people's way of life here is free, liberal, generous, and hospitable.
5. What do you understand more about the people and nature of the Southern region through the text? Mention one detail you like the most and explain why.
- Through the text, I realize that the nature of the Southern region is majestic, pristine, and beautiful; its people are hospitable, genuine, brave, and generous.
- My favorite detail is when Uncle Võ Tòng responds to An's words at the end of the text: 'Well, there's always something! I've raised the forest, so I can catch whatever size you want!' - Uncle Võ Tòng waves his hand, laughing heartily. This playful remark by Uncle Võ Tòng reflects the openness, friendliness, and generosity of thought of the people in the Southern forest land.
6. Write a paragraph (about 6 - 8 lines) highlighting the distinctive features of the content and artistry of the text 'The Solitary Man in the Forest'.
The text 'The Solitary Man in the Forest' excerpted from the novel 'Southern Land' by the author Đoàn Giỏi vividly portrays the beauty of nature and the people of the Southern region. The majestic, pristine, and vibrant nature is depicted through the writer's pen with the presence of various animals: tigers, silver gibbons, and the melodious chirping of birds in the early morning. Standing out amidst the beautiful natural backdrop is the image of the people, exemplified by the character Uncle Võ Tòng - a friendly, genuine, kind-hearted individual yet also very brave and courageous. Through the art of character psychology description and flexible narrative perspective changes, the story of Uncle Võ Tòng's life emerges in a multifaceted way, allowing readers to perceive more objectively, evoking profound emotions and sentiments.
In addition to preparing the essay 'The Solitary Man in the Forest' by Đoàn Giỏi, Mytour also compiles other exemplary essay compositions. Students can refer to them.
Other sample essay compositions for grade 7:
- Essay on 'The Last Class' (Anne Frank), Vietnamese Literature Grade 7, Canh Dieu Publisher
- Essay on Vietnamese Language Practice Lesson 1, Vietnamese Literature Grade 7, Canh Dieu Publisher
